The invention relates generally to the treatment of cancers, and more specifically to methods which prevent recurrence of cancer.
Adoptive transfer therapy for the treatment of cancer has been described. One such method makes use of a lethally irradiated human T cell line (TALL-104), (CD3/TCRxcex1xcex2+CD8+CD16xe2x88x92) [A. Cesano et al, In Vitro Cell. Dev. Biol., 28A:648 (1992); A. Cesano et al, J. Immunol., 151:2943-2957 (1993); and A. Cesano et al, Cancer Immunol. Immunoth., 40:139 (1995)], which is endowed with MHC non-restricted killer activity against a broad range of tumors across several species, while sparing cells from normal tissues.
To date, the use of this TALL-104 cell line in such adoptive transfer has been described as requiring an immunosuppressed patient. For example, use of this cell has been described in studies in immunodeficient and immunocompetent murine models with transplantable tumors and in canines with spontaneously arising cancers [A. Cesano et al, J. Clin. Invest., 94:1076 (1994); A. Cesano et al, Cancer Res., 55:96 (1995); A. Cesano et al, Cancer Res., 56:3021 (1996); and A. Cesano et al, Cancer Res., 56:4444-4452 (1996)]. The latter two publications describe the administration of cyclosporin A to pharmacologically immunosuppress the cancer patient, to avoid rejection of the allogeneic TALL-104 effector cells.
Improved methods of treating cancers are needed in the art, and particularly methods in which a patient can receive a therapeutic anti-cancer agent without additionally receiving an immunosuppressive agent.
The invention provides a method of treating cancer, and particularly, for preventing recurrence of cancer. This method involves the step of administering an effective amount of modified TALL-104 cells to a mammalian cancer patient in the absence of an immunosuppressive agent. This first administration step may be repeated as needed, desirably for a selected number of consecutive days or one to two days following the previous administration. Optionally, a booster may be administered approximately one month following the completion of the course of treatment. Desirably, the patient undergoes therapy with the method of the invention following completion of conventional cancer therapy.
Other aspects and advantages of the present invention are described further in the following detailed description of the preferred embodiments thereof.